Apollo 11 signed photos soar as fans commemorate Neil Armstrong

The death of Neil Armstrong on August 25 was one that shook the world, and now fans are clamouring to commemorate the American hero, as proved by the sale of three Apollo 11 signed photos that achieved excellent results on August 30.

Never again will any man make such an impact on space exploration

As with the passing of any great figure whose achievements made a global impact, values of Armstrong's top memorabilia is now soaring to new heights.

Two of the signed items in the sale featured the official Apollo 11 portrait and were autographed by all three of the space voyagers, including mission commander Neil Armstrong.

The first, which featured no dedication, was printed: "Presented to Bill and Eleanor from the Crew of Apollo XI". It was originally given to North American Aviation president William B Bergen. Its trio of signatures were all slightly faded.

The second, an unframed, smaller photograph, was inscribed: "To Vince Hurley, with best wishes from Apollo 11", followed by all three signatures, still bold and fresh.

The third photograph, showing one of the astronauts' daring moonwalk, was surrounded by a cardboard border that had been signed in gold pen. In near fine condition, the piece was marred by fading to the signatures and minor chipping to the mat.

Each of the signed photographs achieved $7,361.

Even a Neil Armstrong signed postcard from Vero Beach, Florida - which is less desirable to collectors as it bears little relation to his space exploits - sold for $2,384, displaying the incredible potential of his memorabilia now that interest has been renewed.

The highlight of our collection is provided by the unique Buzz Aldrin signed training suit, which he wore in preparation for the Apollo 11 and Gemini 12 missions - undoubtedly one of the most desirable pieces of space memorabilia that hasn't already been snapped up by a museum.